GJM calls 72-hour bandh in Darjeeling Hills demanding Gorkhaland.... Ahead of stir, GJM logs into social media for support

KalimNews, Kalimpong, July 27, 2013: 72-hour shutdown in the Darjeeling Hills from Monday, demanding a new state of Gorkhaland is called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which is ruling the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in the 3 hill subdivisions of Darjeeling. 
"A call for the shutdown to press home our demand for Gorkhaland is declared by GJM" GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told the media. 
"The central government is going to concede the demand to carve out a Telengana state out of Andhra Pradesh. But, why wouldn't they give us Gorkhaland?" Giri asked. 
A tripartite agreement was signed between the GJM, and the state and central governments for setting up Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) on July 18, 2011, and an autonomous and elected body. 
The GJM now runs the GTA after sweeping its maiden elections a year ago.
Giri said that the GTA accord clearly mentions that the GJM was signing the pact without dropping the demand of Gorkhaland. 
"We never dropped the demand for Gorkhalnd. And it is clearly spelt out in the GTA treaty," he said. We agreed upon GTA as a temporary solution, he further added. 

Deep Gazmer, TNN: DARJEELING: The GorkhaJanmukti Morcha(GJM) President, Bimal Gurung, on Saturday announced a 72-hour strike in the Hills starting July 29 to demand for a separate state. 

The bandh is the first phase of the fresh agitation for a Gorkhaland state. 

"The GTA is a failure. We were shown good things by the state and the central government. But nothing has worked. When time comes, I along with the elected members will resign from the GTA," Gurung said during the Sahid Diwas celebrations at Kalimpong Girls' High School. 

The move comes in the wake of the central government's "enthusiasm" to create a Telengana state. "We will watch the development in Delhi and accordingly chalk out the second phase of our agitation," added Gurung. 

This apart, the GJM leadership indicated that the agitation could be violent in nature and asked the Hills people to brace for hardships in the coming days. GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang said, "This time the agitation will not be restricted to silent rallies and candle processions. We are ready to shed our blood if necessary." 

He added that they had accepted the GTA in July 2011 only as a temporary measure. "In fact, the GTA agreement also states that the Gorkhaland demand was not dropped," said Tamang. 

Colonel (retired) Ramesh Allay, GTA deputy chief executive and GJM central committee leader, too, asked people to be inspired by the sacrifice of the martyrs and take forward the statehood agitation.

Madhuparna Das, IE : Kolkata, Jul 28 2013: Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) supremo Bimal Gurung joined the social media bandwagon with the opening of Facebook and Twitter accounts Saturday. He also launched a party website with the promise that it will be much "interactive". Gurung said he will also make his presence felt on Youtube.

The social media initiative comes on the eve of the GJM gearing up for a fresh phase of agitation that can turn "bloody" as hinted by GJM top leadership in the face of an impending announcement over creation of a separate Telangana state.

Gurung, in an e-mail to media house, wrote: "Today is a historic day for me as I have decided to take this new media engagement to reach the people of Gorkhaland and also Gorkhas living across India and various parts of the world. I feel that Internet is the most democratic medium and thus, I am engaging in this to receive and respond to the public's questions."

"A dedicated team of social media managers will constantly translate my message and update it so that it can reach to the millions of Gorkhaland lovers," the message read.

When asked, party's general secretary Roshan Giri said: "It is a great initiative of the party."